It was some weeks before Vincent was able to walk unaided.
His convalescence was somewhat slow, for the shock to the system
had been a severe one. The long rail-way journey had been
injurious to him, for the bandage had become somewhat loose and
the broken pieces of bone had grated upon each other, and were
much longer in knitting together than they would have been had he
been treated on the spot.

As soon as he could walk he began to be anxious to rejoin his
troop, but the doctor said that many weeks must elapse before he
would be ready to undergo the hardships of campaign. He was
reconciled to some extent to the delay by letters from his friends
with the troop and by the perusal of the papers. There was nothing
whatever doing in Virginia. The two armies still faced each
other, the Northerners protected by the strong fortifications they
had thrown up round Washington-fortifications much too
formidable to be attacked by the Confederates, held as they were
by a force immensely superior to their own, both in numbers and
arms.

The Northerners were indeed hard at work, collecting and
organizing an army which was to crush out the rebellion. General
Scott had been succeeded by McClellan in the supreme command,
and the new general was indefatigable in organizing the vast
masses of men raised in tho North. So great were the efforts that
in a few months after the defeat of Bull Run the North had 650,000
men in arms.

But while no move had at present been made against Virginia
there was sharp fighting in some of the border states, especially in
Missouri and Kentucky, in both of which public opinion was much
divided, and regiments were raised on both sides.

Various operations were now undertaken by the Federal fleet at
points along the coast, and several important positions were taken
and occupied, it being impossible for the Confederates to defend
so long a line of sea-coast. The South had lost rather than gained
ground in consequence of their victory at Bull Bun. For a time
they had been unduly elated, and were disposed altogether to
underrate their enemies and to believe that the struggle was as
good as over. Thus, then, they made no effort at all corresponding
to that of the North; but as time went on, and they saw the vastness
of the preparations made for their conquest, the people of the
Southern States again bestirred themselves.

Owing to the North having the command of the sea, and shutting
up all the principal ports, they had to rely upon themselves for
everything, while the North could draw arms and ammunition and
all the requisites of war from the markets of Europe. Foundries
were accordingly established for the manufacture of artillery, and
factories for muskets, ammunition, and percussion caps. The
South had, in fact, to manufacture everything down to the cloth for
her soldiers uniforms and the leather for their shoes; and, as in the
past she had relied wholly upon the North for such goods, it was
for a time impossible to supply the troops with even the most
necessary articles.

The women throughout the States were set to work, spinning and
weaving rough cloth, and making uniforms from it. Leather,
however, cannot be produced all at once, and indeed with all their
efforts the Confederate authorities were never throughout the war
able to provide a sufficient supply of boots for the troops, and
many a battle was won by soldiers who fought almost barefooted
and who reshod themselves for the most part by stripping the boots
from their dead foes. Many other articles could not be produced in
the Southern States, and the Confederates suffered much from the
want of proper medicines and surgical appliances.

For these and many other necessaries they had to depend solely
upon the ships which succeeded in making their way through the
enemy's cruisers and running the blockade of the ports. Wine, tea,
coffee, and other imported articles soon became luxuries beyond
the means of all, even the very wealthy. All sorts of substitutes
were used; grain roasted and ground being chiefly used as a
substitute for coffee. Hitherto the South had been principally
occupied in raising cotton and tobacco, depending chiefly upon the
North for food; and it was necessary now to abandon the
cultivation of products for which they had no sale, and to devote
the land to the growth of maize and other crops for food.

By the time that the long period of inaction came to a close,
Vincent had completely recovered his strength, and was ready to
rejoin the ranks as soon as the order came from Colonel Stuart,
who had promised to send for him directly there was a prospect of
active service.

One of Vincent's first questions as soon as he became
convalescent was whether a letter had been received from Tony.
It had come, he was told, among the last batch of letters that
crossed the frontier before the outbreak of hostilities, and Mrs.
Wingfield, had, as he had requested, opened it. As had been
arranged, it had merely contained Tony's address at a village near
Montreal; for Vincent had warned him to say nothing in the letter,
for there was no saying, in the troubled times which were
approaching when Tony left, into whose hands it might fall.

Vincent had before starting told his mother of the share he had
taken in getting the negro safely away, and Mrs. Wingfield,
brought up as she had been to regard those who assisted runaway
slaves to escape in the same light as those who assisted to steal any
other kind of property, was at first greatly shocked when she heard
that her son had taken part in such an enterprise, however worthy
of compassion the slave might be, and however brutal the master
from whose hands he had fled. However, as Vincent was on the
point of starting for the war to meet danger, and possibly death, in
the defense of Virginia, she had said little, and that little was in
reference rather to the imprudence of the course he had taken than
to what she regarded in her own mind as its folly, and indeed its
criminality.

She had, however, promised that as soon as Tony's letter arrived
she would, if it was still possible, forward Dinah and the child to
him, supplying her with money for the journey, and giving her the
papers freeing her from slavery which Vincent had duly signed in
the presence of a justice. When the letter came, however, it was
already too late. Fighting was on the point of commencing, all
intercourse across the border was stopped, the trains were all taken
up for the conveyance of troops, and even a man would have had
great difficulty in passing northward, while for an unprotected
negress with a baby such a journey would have been impossible.

Mrs. Wingfield had therefore written four times at fort-nightly
intervals to Tony, saying that it was impossible to send Dinah off
at present, but that she should be despatched as soon as the
troubles were over, upon receipt of another letter from him saying
that his address was unchanged, or giving a new one. These letters
were duly posted, and it was probable that one or other of them
would in time reach Tony, as mails were sent off to Europe
whenever an opportunity offered for them to be taken by a steamer
running the blockade from a Southern port. Dinah, therefore, still
remained at the Orangery. She was well and happy, for her life
there was a delightful one indeed after her toil and hardship at the
Jackson's; and although she was anxious to join her husband, the
knowledge that he was well and safe from all pursuit, and that
sooner or later she would join him with her child, was sufficient to
make her perfectly contented.

During Vincent's illness she had been his most constant attendant;
for her child now no longer required her care, and passed much of
its time down at the nursery, where the young children of the
slaves were looked after by two or three aged negresses past active
work. She had therefore begged Mrs. Wingfield to be allowed to
take her place by the bedside of her young master, and, after giving
her a trial, Mrs. Wingfield found her so quiet, gentle, and patient
that she installed her there, and was able to obtain the rest she
needed, with a feeling of confidence that Vincent would be well
attended to in her absence.

When Vincent was well enough to be about again, his sisters were
surprised at the change that had taken place in him since he had
started a few months before for the war. It was not so much that
he had grown, though he had done so considerably, but that he was
much older in manner and appearance. He had been doing man's
work: work requiring vigilance, activity, and courage, and they
could no longer treat him as a boy. As he became stronger he took
to riding about the plantation; but not upon Wildfire, for his horse
was still with the troop, Colonel Stuart having promised to see that
the animal was well cared for, and that no one should ride upon it
but himself.

"I hope you like Jonas Pearson better than you used to do,
Vincent," Mrs. Wingfield said a day or two before he started to
rejoin his troop.

"I can't say I do, mother," he replied shortly. "The man is very
civil to me now-too civil, in fact; but I don't like him, and I don't
believe he is honest. I don't mean that he would cheat you, though
he may do so for anything I know; but he pretends to be a violent
Secessionist, which as he comes from Vermont is not natural, and
I imagine he would sing a different tune if the blue coats ever get
to Richmond. Still I have nothing particular to say against him,
except that I don't like him and I don't trust him. So long as
everything goes on well for the Confederacy I don't suppose it
matters, but if we should ever get the worst of it you will see that
fellow will be mischievous.

"However, I hear that he has obeyed your orders, and that there has
been no flogging on the estate since I went away. In fact, as far as
I can see, he does not keep anything like such a sharp hand over
the slaves as he used to do; and in some of the fields the work
seems to be done in a very slovenly way. What his game is I don't
know; but I have no doubt whatever that he has some game in his
mind."

"You are a most prejudiced boy," Mrs. Wingfield said, laughing.
"First of all the man is too strict, and you were furious about it;
now you think he's too lenient, and you at once suspect he has
what you call a game of some sort or other on. You are hard to
please indeed."

Vincent smiled. "Well, as I told you once before, we shall see. I
hope I am wrong, and that Pearson is all that you believe him to
be. I own that I may be prejudiced against him; but nothing will
persuade me that it was not from him that Jackson learned that
Dinah was here, and it was to that we owe the visit of the sheriff
and the searching the plantation for Tony. However, whatever the
man is at heart, he can, as far as I see, do you no injury as long as
things go on as they are, and I sincerely trust he will never have an
opportunity of doing so."

During the winter Vincent had made the acquaintance of many of
the Southern leaders. The town was the center of the movement,
the heart of the Confederacy. It was against it, as the capital of the
Southern States, that the efforts of the Northerns were principally
directed, and to it flocked the leading men from all parts of the
country. Although every Virginian family had some of its members
at the front, and a feeling of anxiety reigned everywhere, a
semblance of gaiety was kept up. The theater was opened, and
parties and balls given, in order to keep up the spirits of the people
by the example of those of higher rank.

These balls differed widely in appearance from those of eighteen
months before. The gentlemen were almost all in uniform, and
already calicoes and other cheap fabrics were worn by many of the
ladies, as foreign dress materials could no longer be purchased.
Mrs. Wingfield made a point of always attending with her
daughters at these entertainments, which to the young people
afforded a cheerful break in the dullness and monotony of their
usual life; for, owing to the absence of almost all the young men
with the army, there had been a long cessation of the pleasant
interchange of visits, impromptu parties, and social gatherings that
had formed a feature in the life in Virginia.

The balls would have been but dull affairs had only the residents
of Richmond been present; but leave was granted as much as
possible to officers stationed with regiments within a railway run
of the town, and as these eagerly availed themselves of the change
from the monotony of camp life, the girls had no reason to
complain of want of partners. Here and at the receptions given by
President Davis, Vincent met all the leaders of the Confederacy,
civil and military. Many of them had been personal friends of the
Wingfields before the Secession movement began, and among
them was General Magruder, who commanded the troops round
Richmond.

Early in the winter the general had called at the Orangery. "We
are going to make a call upon the patriotism of the planters of this
neighborhood, Mrs. Wingfield," he said during lunch time. "You
see, our armies are facing those of the Federals opposite
Washington, and can offer a firm front to any foe marching down
from the North; but, unfortunately they have the command of the
sea, and there is nothing to prevent their embarking an army on
board ship and landing it in either the James or the York Rivers,
and in that case they might make a rush upon Richmond before
there would be time to bring down troops to our aid. I am
therefore proposing to erect a chain of works between the two
rivers, so as to be able to keep even a large army at bay until
reinforcements arrive; but to do this a large number of hands will
be required, and we are going to ask the proprietors of plantations
to place as many negroes as they can spare at our disposal."

"There can be no doubt as to the response your question will meet
with, general. At present we have scarce enough work for our
slaves to do. I intend to grow no tobacco next year, for it will only
rot in the warehouse, and a comparatively small number of hands
are required to raise corn crops. I have about a hundred and
seventy working hands on the Orangery, and shall be happy to
place a hundred at your disposal for as long a time as you may
require them. If you want fifty more you can of course have them.
Everything else must at present give way to the good of the cause."

"I thank you much, Mrs. Wingfield, for your offers, and will put
your name down the first on the list of contributors."

"You seem quite to have recovered now," he said to Vincent a few
minutes afterward.

"Yes; I am quite ashamed of staying here so long, general. But I
feel some pain at times; and as there is nothing doing at the front,
and my doctor says that it is of importance I should have rest as
long as possible, I have stayed on. Major Ashley has promised to
recall me as soon as there is a prospect of active work."

"I think it is quite likely that there will be active work here as soon
as anywhere else," the general said. "We know pretty well what is
doing at Washington, and though nothing has been decided upon,
there is a party in favor of a landing in force here; and if so, we
shall have hot work. What do you say? If you like I will get you a
commission and appoint you one of my aides-de-camp. Your
knowledge of the country will make you useful, and as Ashley has
specially mentioned your name in one of his despatches, you can
have your commission by asking for it.

"If there is to be fighting round here, it will be of more interest to
you defending your own home than in taking part in general
engagements for the safety of the State. It will, too, enable you to
be a good deal at home; and although so far the slaves have
behaved extremely well, there is no saying exactly what may
happen if the Northerners come among us. You can rejoin your
own corps afterward, you know, if nothing comes of this."

Vincent was at first inclined to decline the offer, but his mother
and sisters were so pleased at having him near them that he finally
accepted with thanks, being principally influenced by the general's
last argument, that possibly there might be trouble with the slaves
in the event of a landing in the James Peninsula by the
Northerners. A few days later there came an official intimation
that he had received a commission in the cavalry, and had at
General Magruder's request been appointed to his staff, and he at
once entered upon his new duties.

The fortress of Monroe, at the entrance of Hampton Roads, was
still in the hands of the Federals, and a large Federal fleet was
assembled here, and was only prevented from sailing up the James
River by the Merrimac, a steamer which the Confederates had
plated with railway iron. They had also constructed batteries upon
some high bluffs on each side of the river. In a short time 5,000
negroes were set to work erecting batteries upon the York River at
Yorktown and Gloucester Point, and upon a line of works
extending from Warwick upon the James River to Ship Point on
the York, through a line of wooded and swampy country
intersected by streams emptying themselves into one or other of
the rivers.

This line was some thirty miles in length, and would require
25,000 men to guard it; but Magruder hoped that there would be
sufficient warning of an attack to enable reinforcements to arrive
in time to raise his own command of about 10,000 men to that
strength. The negroes worked cheerfully, for they received a
certain amount of pay from the State; but the work was heavy and
difficult, and different altogether to that which they were
accustomed to perform. The batteries by the sides of the rivers
made fair progress, but the advance of the long line of works
across the peninsula was but slow. Vincent had, upon receiving
his appointment, written at once to Major Ashley, sending his
letter by Dan, who was ordered to bring back Wildfire. Vincent
stated that had he consulted his personal feeling he should have
preferred remaining in the ranks of his old corps; but that as the
fighting might be close to his home, and there was no saying what
might be the behavior of the slave population in the event of a
Northern invasion, he had, for the sake of his mother and sisters,
accepted the appointment, but as soon as the danger was over he
hoped to rejoin the corps and serve under his former commander.

Dan, on his return with Wildfire, brought a letter from the major
saying that although he should have been glad to have had him
with him, he quite agreed with the decision at which he had, under
the circumstances, arrived. Vincent now took up his quarters at the
camp formed a short distance from the city, and much of his time
was spent in riding to and from the peninsula, seeing that the
works were being carried out according to the plan of the general,
and reporting upon the manner in which the contractors for the
supply of food to the negroes at work there performed their duties.
Sometimes he was away for two or three days upon this work; but
he generally managed once or twice a week to get home for a few
hours.

The inhabitants of Richmond and its neighborhood were naturally
greatly interested in the progress of the works for their defense,
and parties were often organized to ride or drive to Yorktown, or
to the batteries on the James River, to watch the progress made.
Upon one occasion Vincent accompanied his mother and sisters,
and a party of ladies and gentlemen from the neighboring
plantations, to Drury's Bluff, where an entrenched position named
Fort Darling had been erected, and preparations made to sink
vessels across the river, and close it against the advance of the
enemy's fleet should any misfortune happen to the Merrimac.

Several other parties had been made up, and each brought
provisions with them. General Magruder and some of his officers
received them upon their arrival, and conducted them over the
works. After this the whole party sat down to a picnic meal on the
ground, and no stranger could have guessed that the merry party
formed part of a population threatened with invasion by a powerful
foe. There were speeches and toasts, all of a patriotic character,
and General Magruder raised the enthusiasm to the highest point
by informing them that in a few days-the exact day was a secret,
but it would be very shortly-the Merrimac, or, as she had been
re-christened, the Virginia, would put out from Norfolk Harbor,
and see what she could do to clear Hampton Roads of the fleet that
now threatened them. As they were riding back to Richmond the
general said to Vincent:

"I will tell you a little more than I told the others, Wingfield. I
believe the Merrimac will go out the day after to-morrow. I wish I
could get away myself to see the affair; but, unfortunately, I cannot
do so. However, if you like to be present, I will give you three
days' leave, as you have been working very hard lately. You can
start early to-morrow, and can get down by train to Norfolk in the
evening. I should advise you to take your horse with you, and then
you can ride in the morning to some spot from which you will get
a fair view of the Roads, and be able to see what is going on."

"Thank you very much, sir," Vincent said. "I should like it
immensely."

The next day Vincent went down to Norfolk. Arriving there, he
found that although there was a general expectation that the
Merrimac would shortly go out to try her strength with the enemy,
nothing was known of the fact that the next morning had been
fixed for the encounter, the secret being kept to the last lest some
spy or adherent of the North might take the news to the fleet.
After putting up his horse Vincent went down to the navy yard, off
which the Merrimac was lying.

This ship had been sunk by the Federals when at the
commencement of hostilities they had evacuated Norfolk. Having
been raised by the Confederates, the ship was cut down, and a sort
of roof covered with iron was built over it, so that the vessel
presented the appearance of a huge sunken house. A ram was
fixed to her bow, and she was armed with ten guns. Her
steam-power was very insufficient for her size, and she could only
move through the water at the rate of five knots an hour.

"She is an ugly-looking thing," a man observed to Vincent as he
gazed at the ship.

"Frightfully ugly," Vincent agreed. "She may be a formidable
machine in the way of fighting, but one can scarcely call her a
ship."

"She is a floating-battery, and if they tried their best to turn out the
ugliest thing that ever floated they could not have succeeded
better. She is just like a Noah's ark sunk down to the eaves of her
roof."

"Yes, she is a good deal like that," Vincent agreed. "The very look
of her ought to be enough to frighten the Federals, even if she did
nothing else."

"I expect it will not be long before she gives them a taste of her
quality," the man said. "She has got her coal and ammunition on
board, and there's nothing to prevent her going out this evening if
she wants to."

"It will be worth seeing when she does go out to fight the
Northerners," Vincent said. "It will be a new experiment in
warfare, and, if she turns out a success, I suppose all the navies in
the world will be taking to cover themselves up with iron."

The next morning, which was the 8th of March-a date forever
memorable in naval annals-smoke was seen pouring out from the
funnels of the Merrimac, and there were signs of activity on board
the Patrick Henry, of six guns, and the Jamestown, Raleigh,
Beaufort, and Teazer, little craft carrying one gun each, and at
eleven o'clock they all moved down the inlet on which Norfolk is
situated. The news that the Merrimac was going out to attack the
enemy had now spread, and the whole population of Norfolk
turned out and hastened down toward the month of the inlet on
horseback, in vehicles, or on foot, while Vincent rode to the
batteries on Sewell's Point, nearly facing Fort Monroe.

He left his horse at a farmhouse a quarter of a mile from the
battery; for Wildfire was always restless under fire, and it was
probable that the batteries would take a share in the affair. At one
o'clock some of the small Federal lookout launches were seen to
be at work signaling, a bustle could be observed prevailing among
the large ships over by the fortress, and it was evident that the
Merrimac was visible to them as she came down the inlet. The
Cumberland and Congress men-of-war moved out in that direction,
and the Minnesota and the St. Lawrence, which were at anchor, got
under weigh, assisted by steam-tugs.

The Merrimac and the fleet of little gunboats were now visible
from the battery, advancing against the Cumberland and Congress.
The former opened fire upon her at a distance of a mile with her
heavy pivot guns, but the Merrimac, without replying, continued
her slow and steady course toward them. She first approached the
Congress, and as she did so a puff of smoke burst from the forward
end of her pent-house, and the water round the Congress was
churned up by a hail of grape-shot. As they passed each other both
vessels fired a broadside. The officers in the fort, provided with
glasses, could see the effect of the Merrimac's fire in the light
patches that showed on the side of the Congress, but the Merrimac
appeared entirely uninjured. She now approached the
Cumberland, which poured several broadsides into her, but
altogether without effect. The Merrimac, without replying,
steamed straight on and struck the Cumberland with great force,
knocking a large hole in her side, near the water-line. Then
backing off she opened fire upon her.

For half an hour the crew of the Cumberland fought with great
bravery. The ships lay about three hundred yards apart, and every
shot from the Merrimac told on the wooden vessel. The water was
pouring in through the breach. The shells of the Merrimac crushed
through her side, and at one time set her on fire; but the crew
worked their guns until the vessel sank beneath their feet. Some
men succeeded in swimming to land, which was not far distant,
others were saved by small boats from the shore, but nearly half of
the crew of 400 men were either killed in action or drowned.

The Merrimac now turned her attention to the Congress, which
was left to fight the battle alone, as the Minnesota had got
aground, and the Roanoake and St. Lawrence could not approach
near enough to render them assistance from their draught of water.
The Merrimac poured broadside after broadside into her, until the
officer in command and many of the crew were killed. The
lieutenant who succeeded to the command, seeing there was no
prospect of help, and that resistance was hopeless, hauled down
the flag. A gunboat was sent alongside, with orders that the crew
should leave the Congress and come on board, as the ship was to
be burned. But the troops and artillery lining the shore now
opened fire on the little gunboat, which consequently hauled off.
The Merrimac, after firing several more shells into the Congress,
moved away to attack the Minnesota, and the survivors of the 200
men who composed the crew of the Congress were conveyed to
shore in small boats. The vessel was set on fire either by her own
crew or the shells of the Merrimac, and by midnight blew up.

Owing to the shallowness of the water the Merrimac could not get
near enough to the Minnesota to use her own small guns to
advantage, and the gunboat was driven off by the heavy ten-inch
gun of the Federal frigate, and therefore at seven o'clock the
Merrimac and her consorts returned to Norfolk. The greatest
delight was felt on shore at the success of the engagement, and on
riding back to Norfolk Vincent learned that the ram would go out
again next morning to engage the rest of the Federal fleet.

She herself had suffered somewhat in the fight. Her loss in men
was only two killed and eight wounded; but two of her guns had
the muzzles shot off, the armor was damaged in some places, and
most serious of all she had badly twisted her ram in running into
the Cumberland. Still it appeared that she was more than a match
for the rest of the Federal fleet, and that these must either fly or be
destroyed.

As the general had given him three days' leave, Vincent was able
to stay to see the close of the affair, and early next morning again
rode down to Sewell's Point, as the Merrimac was to start at
daybreak. At six o'clock the ironclad came out from the river and
made for the Minnesota, which was still aground. The latter was
seen to run up a signal, and the spectators saw an object which
they had not before perceived coming out as if to meet the ram.
The glasses were directed toward it, and a general exclamation of
surprise was heard.

"What is the thing? It looks like a raft with two round turrets upon
it, and a funnel." A moment's consideration, and the truth burst
upon them. It was the ship they had heard of as building at New
York, and which had been launched six weeks before. It was
indeed the Monitor, which had arrived during the night, just in
time to save the rest of the Federal fleet. She was the first regular
ironclad ever built. She was a turret ship, carrying two very heavy
guns, and showing only between two and three feet above the
water.

The excitement upon both shores as these adversaries approached
each other was intense. They moved slowly, and not until they
were within a hundred yards distance did the Monitor open fire,
the Merrimac replying at once. The fire for a time was heavy and
rapid, the distance between the combatants varying from fifty to
two hundred yards. The Monitor had by far the greatest speed, and
was much more easily turned than the Confederate ram, and her
guns were very much heavier, and the Merrimac while still
keeping up the fight made toward the mouth of the river.

Suddenly she turned and steamed directly at the Monitor, and
before the latter could get out of her way struck her on the side;
but the ram was bent and her weak engines were insufficient to
propel her with the necessary force. Consequently she inflicted no
damage on the Monitor, and the action continued, the turret-ship
directing her fire at the iron roof of the ram, while the latter
pointed her guns especially at the turret and pilot-house of the
Monitor. At length, after a battle which had lasted six hours, the
Monitor withdrew, one of the plates of her pilot-house being
seriously damaged and her commander injured in the eyes.

When her foe drew off the Merrimac steamed back to Norfolk.
There were no men killed in either battle, and each side claimed a
victory; the Federals upon the ground that they had driven off the
Merrimac, the Confederates because the Monitor had retreated
from the fight. Each vessel however held the strength of the other
in respect, the Monitor remaining as sentinel over the ships and
transports at Fortress Monroe, while the Merrimac at Norfolk
continued to guard the entrance into the James River.

As soon as the fight was over Vincent Wingfield, greatly pleased
that he had witnessed so strange and interesting a combat, rode
back to Norfolk, and the same evening reached Richmond, where
his description of the fight was received with the greatest interest
and excitement.